


filling up my love soaked lungs

by vastlyunknown



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, contains kings rising spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-20 23:04:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6028747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vastlyunknown/pseuds/vastlyunknown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"If I gave you my heart, you would treat it tenderly" a 5+1 type of fic where Laurent and Damen take care of each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	filling up my love soaked lungs

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO :) first tcp fic ayo! This is exciting!!! So here's the deal, I haven't written fics in months and this one has been resting by my heart for a while now but I'm super nervous about plunging head first into a new fic writing obsession (and I have a feeling these losers are so worthy of obsession) so I'm posting the first part now and if you like it, let me know and I'll post more very soon. Promise :D
> 
> title from The Light by Sara Bareilles

Damen’s temples are throbbing painfully. He discreetly brings a hand to his face and, pretending to sweep a stray strand of hair away from his forehead, he presses his thumb there to relieve a bit of the tension. He would sigh in relief but Laurent’s eyes are on him and it wouldn’t do to have him see Damen weakening.

(They play this game that no one but them is aware of. A game which rewards consist of deep kisses, intertwined limbs and bruised hips in the middle of the night. A game which only rule is to not get caught bored or annoyed at one of these dreaded meetings.)

Damen drops his hand and straightens up in his seat when one of Laurent’s fair eyebrows flicks ever so slightly up. Damen purses his lips, eyes intent on Laurent and he silently delights when Laurent’s lips twitch infinitesimally.

“The tax collectors have encountered too many stubborn Akielons,” Herode is saying to the room at large, his eyes skimming over Damen, like he’s not even there, like this is any other Veretian council meeting, like Damen isn’t king and Herode isn't reporting to him too. Damen takes notice of this but focuses more on the way Laurent’s fingers curl into a tight fist. The rest of his posture remains lax otherwise but his eyes have turned the steely blue that bodes well for nobody. Damen knows what is about to happen and a small part of him -the vindictive part that’s been subjected to Herode’s lectures on Akielon behaviour one too many times- would like nothing more than watch Laurent cut him to ribbons.

But this is not who Damen is and this is certainly not what he wants from Laurent. He won’t sit idly by while his lover fights his battles for him. Besides, he can’t have Laurent become the target of scorn from his own council; he’s fought a war just so that Laurent can be free of it.

“The tax collectors are not the problem,” Damen interrupts voice steady but loud. Every pair of eyes that wasn’t already turned to him swings his way. Laurent’s eyes lose their hostile edge and look over at Damen, surprise slacking his features. Damen returns the stare and Laurent’s face regains its arrogant and impassive glory. It wouldn’t do to be caught _feeling_ either. “The tax collectors you have selected are bullies with no sense and too much power. The tax collectors are yet another attempt from the council and the kyroi to fail the merging of our kingdoms,” he enunciates, glaring at the men gathered around him. “The tax collectors don’t even speak Akielon. Akielons are stubborn indeed but only because they’re faced with the unknown.”

“What are you suggesting, Your Majesty,” Herode’s annoyance is evident in the strain of his voice and in the terse way he pronounces the last two words, like they cost him a bit of his pride.

“What King Damianos suggests is what we’ve been suggesting for months now,” Laurent hedges, cutting an unforgiving stare at the council.

“The people, from either nation, will never understand,” Herode replies.

Audin nods. “These foolish notions will never hold,” he adds. A few murmurs of consent are heard across the room. Laurent and Damen exchange a look.

“They’re only as foolish as we allow them to be,” Damen argues. Audin scoffs. “It is done, we voted on it, the plan is in action. The more you dig your heels and scheme against it, the more foolish you look,” his voice sounds scathing to his own ears and there’s anger burning down his throat. Months of frustration make words pile up and screech into a halt in his mouth. How can he, King and warrior, let these people dictate what’s good for him and his people? But it’s no longer his people alone and it’s no longer his fate alone. He looks over at Laurent who’s gazing at him with his chin tilted up, not in defiance but in support. That and the quiet pride in his eyes make the words stuck inside Damen’s throat disappear. Ground him, remind him that the veretian council is not his enemy. They’re stuck in their own way but it’s his role as King to lead them down a better path.

He settles back on his seat and relaxes his shoulders, unclenches his fists and takes a deep breath.

“This will only work if you all make it work. We can’t unite our kingdoms, write a better page of our History, if we don’t stand together. So, I ask you, do you want to stand on the wrong side of history for another day or will you help King Laurent and I create something better?”

“Kingdoms live beyond their leaders,” Jeurre says. “Vere and Akielos will be here long after you and Laurent pass. Who says this merger will stand after that?”

“I don’t know about you, but neither Laurent nor I plan on dying before this merger is carved in everyone’s heart.”

“It will be work, more work than you realise,” Herode intones but his posture is no longer disapproving.

“Don’t underestimate me.”

“The last person who did that got his head cut off,” Laurent drawls, uncaring of the cold that settles over the room at the mention of his uncle. Damen casts a look around the room and is unsurprised to find the men and women present looking uncomfortable and perhaps, dare he think it, more sympathetic to their plan. No one has quite forgotten yet what The Regent’s thirst for power lead to.

And this is where lays Laurent’s hard, cold magic. Damen would grin if his whole being hadn’t tensed at the reminder.

“Change the collectors. Send units of two, one Akielon and one Veretian. Choose kind, loyal men and women for the task. Let this not become another source of conflict but something that will reunite us. Make this work,” Damen finishes.

After a tense moment, Herode nods. Relief sweeps through Damen and he nods in return.

*

Later, after another long days of reading reports and training with soldiers, Damen asks for his food to be sent to his room. He finds Laurent sitting by his desk, writing another long missive.

“I don’t know how your hands don’t cramp up,” he says, putting his hand on Laurent’s shoulder and leaning over to kiss the crown of his head.

“Mind over matter,” Laurent replies, still scratching away on his parchment but leaning ever so slightly towards Damen’s chest. Damen bends down further, nosing lightly against Laurent’s ear.

“With a mind like yours, you could probably write entire encyclopedias by hand and never tire,” he whispers, making Laurent shiver and tilt his head. An offering and a plea all at once. Laurent leans further down, nose brushing against his jaw, lips close to the warmth there. He allows himself just a few moments of restraint and bliss, feeling Laurent so close and smelling his sharp and sweet scent. Something citrusy and utterly addictive. He inhales and closes his eyes, relishing in the sharp intake of breath from Laurent. He lets himself have this, let them both enjoy it; the sweet exhilaration of anticipation. And then he kisses the soft patch of skin that makes the juncture between Laurent’s neck and his jaw. He seals his lips there and presses gently, letting himself drown in the feeling of the moment.

Laurent’s next breath comes out unsteadily and he brings one of his hands to hold Damen’s on his shoulders.

“This is… lovely,” he stumbles on his words as Damen travels further down his neck, lips as undemanding and soft as he can make them. _You’re lovely_ , Damen wants to say and any other day, he would have. Right now though, he’d rather put his lips to better use. “Mmmm, you must be tired after today’s council meeting.”

That makes Damen stop and lean back. Laurent turns in his stool so they’re facing each other, his nose brushing Damen’s.

“I can handle a few recalcitrant politicians,” Damen affirms.

Laurent nods, eyes intent on Damen’s. He swallows, eyelashes fluttering uncertainly and Damen is taken aback. “I know how you despise Vere’s politics,” he finally says.

“Politics is politics,” Damen frowns. “And this isn’t Vere alone.”

“But this isn’t the kingdom you were meant to have,” Laurent counters and flushes suddenly.

“It wasn’t yours either,” Damen replies softly.

“I was always going to deal with _these_ politicians.”

Damen nods. He straightens up and pull Laurent to his feet. There’s no more wariness in Laurent’s eyes, the softness there speaks of trust and intimacy. He does look much younger and a little lost under Damen’s steady gaze so, Damen does what he’s been afraid to do for so long and pulls Laurent into a hug.

Weak spot for weak spot.

Laurent remains stiff for a couple of heartbeats before melting into Damen and wrapping his arms around Damen’s back, his gold cuff resting on Damen’s scar. Damen buries his nose in Laurent’s neck and breathe him in. He rubs Laurent’s back, slow movements that bring them closer together and that make Laurent relax further in Damen’s embrace.

“You might as well let go of the ‘what ifs’ and ‘might have beens’ right now because I intend to leave the past where it belongs,” Damen says when Laurent’s fingers rake through Damen’s hair.

Laurent sighs. “No one can fully let go of the burden of the past.”

“I don’t wish to forget the past, only to learn from it.”

A moment passes before Laurent tightens his arms around him and kisses Damen’s shoulder. “Insufferable optimist,” he laments while cupping Damen’s neck with both hands and leaning back to look at him. There’s a small, fond smile playing on his lips that makes Damen grin.

“I have a lot to be happy about,” he shrugs. Laurent shakes his head and leans forward to kiss him. A tender kiss, filled with contentment and appreciation.

“Remember this when Herode curses you at the next tax report meeting.” Laurent’s eyes are dancing with mirth and something catches inside Damen’s chest. Something fiery and deep. He’d fight wars until his last day if it meant he could have this every night.

He brushes a kiss to Laurent’s forehead before resting his own there. “I will,” he promises and Laurent closes his eyes, tilting his chin up for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> want more, pls let me know :)  
> you can find me on tumblr @lamensking


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